Two fishermen have recalled how they unexpectedly hauled in a “yellow submarine” off Islay more than 20 years ago, with their surprising catch prompting a months-long mystery. John Baker, now 69, was working a few miles off the coast of the Inner Hebrides island when he came across the strange vessel in May 2005.
Despite Royal Navy markings on the side of the yellow submersible, the Ministry of Defence initially denied it owned it. The submarine then found its way into the garden of Harold Hastie – Mr Baker’s brother-in-law – in Port Ellen, where it became a local tourist attraction. The mystery around the ownership of the “yellow submarine” prompted international media attention.
It was only in September 2005 that the Royal Navy dispatched minesweeper HMS Blyth to retrieve the craft, after eventually admitting it was its property. The “yellow submarine” was in fact a remotely-operated vehicle used in mine-clearing operations.
In a video recorded for Bruichladdich distillery, which is releasing a special version of its Yellow Submarine whisky this year, Mr Baker said he initially thought the craft was some kind of buoy when he spotted it in the water, before realising it was “something significant”. He added: “There was no way of getting it aboard, so we got a rope on it and started towing it. The weather wasn’t helping – it was hard going – but we knew we had to get it ashore and figure out what it was.”
Mr Hastie, now 72, reflected on the international attention: “It just grew arms and legs. What started as a local curiosity became something people were talking about all over the world.” The distillery is now releasing a new 14-year-old limited edition single malt of its Yellow Submarine whisky. In 2018, Bruichladdich acquired and restored a replica version of the submersible, which now stands in the distillery courtyard as a permanent reminder of the episode.
